Genius Pucout's Fight for Justice

Pangaea Castle, headquarters of the Holy Knights.

Dozens of Celestial Dragons were injured, some in wheelchairs, others with bandages wrapped around their heads. They looked miserable, as though they had just fled a battlefield.

The group stormed up to the gate, their accompanying slaves and attendants alone enough to block it completely.

At the front were the genius Pucout, who was enormously fat and had his backside sticking out, and Lawrence, who looked like a stick insect and had his belly thrust forward.

The two supported each other, their grief and indignation almost palpable.

"Where is Lord Garling? We want Lord Garling to give us justice!"

Lawrence shouted in his shrill voice.

Two maids in white gauze dresses came at the sound, bowed slightly to the group, and led the Celestial Dragons into a magnificent white building.

As they passed through the corridor, they saw several stern-faced members of the order wiping their weapons, meditating, or performing fearsome strength training...

They did not even look up at the visitors.

Puff, puff, puff, puff...

As they neared the end of the corridor, they could faintly hear the rhythmic sound of a blade cutting through the air in the training ground beyond.

Accustomed to being overbearing, Pucout had not been on guard. He was also leaning forward, half a body length ahead of everyone else, and the moment he appeared, a Flying Slash nearly sliced off his nose.

"L-L-L-Lord Garling! It's me, Pucout!"

Cold sweat slid down Pucout's temple as he fell backward onto his backside.

The others also realized what was happening and dared not take another step forward.

Puff, puff, puff, puff...

The rhythmic sound of the blade cutting through the air continued.

The group looked closely and finally saw Garling, dressed in a black battle robe, swinging a rapier as he went through his daily sword training.

Each swing sent a crimson Flying Slash shooting toward the humanoid paper targets two hundred meters away.

There were over a hundred paper targets of various shapes, moving randomly left and right, forward and backward, without stopping for a moment.

A closer look would have revealed a hair-thin slit piercing each humanoid paper target.

Every Flying Slash Garling unleashed passed through a slit, then flew several hundred meters farther before slowly dissipating into the air.

The fragile paper targets were not damaged in the slightest.

Pucout stood up and bowed:

"Lord Garling, we came to ask you to give us justice.

As you can see, we're all injured, and every one of these injuries was caused by a brat from the Donquixote family.

We want to press charges against him. If he dares hurt Celestial Dragons in the Holy Land, won't he kill Celestial Dragons outside it?

We hope the Holy Knights can teach him a lesson."

"What's his name?"

Garling did not stop swinging his sword. Flying Slashes swept past the group one after another, and the more timid Celestial Dragons' legs had already begun to tremble.

Lawrence hurriedly said, "Lord Garling, his name is Longinus."

Garling's face remained expressionless. "I remember him. If I recall correctly, he's only three this year..."

Everyone blushed. Even for Celestial Dragons, being beaten by a three-year-old was a disgrace.

Pucout gestured with his hand. "Lord Garling, he may be young, but he already comes up to my thigh. He's just like a child in his teens."

Garling said dismissively:

"A child in his teens is still a child, isn't he?

You want the Holy Knights to go fight a child?"

Pucout said angrily:

"Lord Garling, are you just going to let him do whatever he wants? Do you know what he did?

At seven this morning, we had only just gone to sleep after our party when he started beating a giant iron ball. We only went over to stop him, and he gave us a sound beating.

And he claimed he was going to beat it all day-not just today, but every day from now on!

Disturbing other people's sleep without caring at all how they feel. He's a naturally evil brat!"

"Seven?"

The corners of Garling's mouth rose. He was even more pleased with Lu Ye.

Countless geniuses had possessed talent only to squander it as they grew up.

Talent merely got one past the threshold. Persistent effort was the ticket into the world of the strong.

"He's only a child, after all. It would be awkward for the Holy Knights to intervene, so handle it yourselves.

My promise is this: as long as you don't beat him to death, the Holy Knights won't stop you from fighting back either, whether you all rush him together or send your CP Agents... or your slaves."

The Celestial Dragons immediately erupted in an uproar. They had not expected that answer.

Pucout was so angry that his chest heaved violently, and two streams of white vapor burst from his bulbous red nose:

"Lord Garling, I have another question!

Do you know where Augustus and Freck went?

As far as I know, the North Star Colosseum hasn't opened for business again since yesterday's grand gladiatorial event ended."

Garling answered casually:

"There's no need for you to get involved in that matter. An announcement will be made in a couple of days.

Augustus and his son put out to sea last night to buy slaves at the Sabaody Archipelago. Unfortunately, they encountered a maritime disaster and perished at sea.

According to the Holy Knights' investigation, an undersea volcano may have caused a rampage among the Sea Kings, unfortunately causing Augustus's ship to capsize.

As for the North Star Colosseum, it was World Government property to begin with. It will be returned to the World Government to manage from now on.

As for when it will open... probably after the funeral of Augustus and his son."

Everyone understood what Garling meant. The matter had been settled and was to be left there.

As for whether Longinus had really killed Augustus and his son, the Holy Knights would not allow any further investigation.

Lawrence's Adam's apple bobbed, and he mustered his courage to speak:

"Lord Garling, Pucout and I were both friends of Augustus. If you say they perished at sea, then they perished at sea.

But I want to confirm one thing. Is the reason you're protecting Longinus the Path of the Strong..."

Puff!

An unstoppable Flying Slash cut dozens of humanoid targets in half at the waist.

Sching-

Garling slowly sheathed his sword, turned his head, and asked sternly:

"Where did you hear that term..."

Pucout's face flushed and his eyes widened as he asked excitedly, unable to believe it:

"Then it's true?

The Holy Knights, who are supposed to protect the Holy Land, would actually let him kill his fellow Celestial Dragons at will for the sake of cultivating a chosen one!"

Garling said nothing. He merely turned to look at Pucout, his eyes cold and devoid of emotion.

Pucout's enormous body immediately began to tremble in panic. He hurriedly waved his hands and said:

"S-sorry, Lord Garling. I'm not trying to press you for answers.

Longinus put that term on a flag. He was beating an iron ball in the street, the head of the Donquixote ancestor's hammer...

His butler was carrying the flag. It didn't just say 'Path of the Strong' on it; it also said... it also said he had your special permission..."

Garling was momentarily taken aback. Then the corners of his mouth rose, and he ordered a CP Agent standing nearby:

"Send Hoffman to see me."

With that, Garling turned and left without another word.

Pucout and the others stood where they were, watching Garling's retreating figure. Someone said quietly:

"What do we do? If the Holy Knights won't help, do we really have to fight this guy ourselves? He's terribly strong!

Forget about the agents and slaves. Even if you held a knife to their throats, they wouldn't dare lay a hand on a Celestial Dragon."

Lawrence, his triangular eyes drooping, said shrilly and unhappily:

"If the Holy Knights have given up on protecting us, then we'll go to the Five Elders and have Marine Admirals stationed in Mary Geoise!"